Jerboas are typically pale-colored, with large eyes, immense ears, a long tail, small front legs and paws, and distinctively large hind legs and feet, which are used for jumping. Although the body length of a typical jerboa is only about 5–10 cm, these animals can jump as far as 2–3 m in a single leap, using their long tail for balance. This is great for them as it helps them move quickly over the vast, arid deserts that they call home.

Although jerboas may resemble miniature kangaroos, they aren’t actually related to them. In fact, they are rodents. The smallest species is the pygmy jerboa, which also happens to be the smallest rodent in the world.